Dupuytren's contracture

I just opened the fridge: my hand slipped and, instead of using my index finger used my ring finger, which pulled on the Dupuytrans nodules in my right hand. I’m just hoping it doesn’t trigger a contracture. Thank goodness I’ve got several support gloves that I can put on…

I sometimes think that surgeons just want to operate because they’re surgeons. My SIL broke his wrist in an accident a few years ago and a surgeon at the hospital said he had signs of arthritis in his wrists and he wanted to break them and reset them. My SIL declined the offer and, touch wood doesn’t seem to have a problem with his wrists.

My DH has it, and has had surgery in both hands, a few years apart. His left hand was more advanced in the contracture than the right. The surgery was obviously painful afterwards, but the recovery went well.

He made sure to wear trousers with elastic waist for a week or so, Put a plastic shopping bag over his hand while he showered, etc. It was awkward but worth the recovery.

The silly thing here is that the government doesn't cover the needle procedure, it is only done privately, at your own cost. So you have to wait until the fingers are at least 50% curled before the BC Health will approve the operation. It seems silly to me to wait until such a time that the hand is almost useless before anything can be done. I did look into the private cost when we realized his right hand also needed to be done, but it was $3500 per hand, equivalent to GBP 2000, so quite a bit, plus the specialist is 800 km away from us so there would be flight and hotel costs as well. Why on earth wouldn't they cover the lower risk procedure first, and only resort to surgery if needed? There's no reasoning with the Health system at times.

Bottom line, have the surgery. It will take some time to heal, but it will be worth it.

Yes, you would expect arthritis in the dominant hand - but not with us. My little fingers are by far the worst affected but we’re in good company with Bill Nighy!

It’s strange that I’ve got arthritis in the hand that I use the least. I did go on a one day course at the hospital about how to manage it but I didn’t learn anything that I didn’t know. I first noticed it at my sons wedding seven years ago when I looked at my left hand and realised that the joint was sticking out at a funny angle! My Dupuytrans hand seems to be curling inwards rather than my little finger contracting. It looks like a claw!

Left thumb for me too MayBee, thank goodness for being right handed.

My friend has it had the operation a few months ago and is no better if anything it’s worse

Germanshepherdsmum

I’m very fortunate then MayBee, not painful at all (though the arthritis I’ve developed in my thumb is).

I’ve got arthritis in my thumb, too. Thankfully it’s my left hand. Sometimes it’s very painful and then it isn’t; currently it’s pain free. My Dupuytrans is worse in my right hand and I don’t get any pain from that. But people on the Facebook page say they get a lot of pain from their Dupuytrans. It was when I developed lumps in my foot that I really started to worry because the thought of having to walk on hard lumps was scary but they never got worse after I started wearing cushioned insoles. My only vanity used to be my hands which I was very proud of. So much for that

I’m very fortunate then MayBee, not painful at all (though the arthritis I’ve developed in my thumb is).

Lucyd it could be coincidence or it could be scar tissue.
Would massage help?

It’s really annoying that some GP’s still seem to think there’s a connection tween Dupuytrans and heavy drinking. Many of them also still believe it’s not painful which, in a lot of cases, it is.

I was diagnosed with this about ten years ago though I do think the diagnosis may have been wrong. I had been badly bitten on that had a couple of years before and it is exactly where the scar is. It has never given me a moment's bother. My GP said it was diagnosed by a French man who noted its prevalance among heavy drinking manual workers. I was quick to assure him that my alcohol consumption was moderate and I avoid heavy manual work! The doctor said the chap who "discovered" it is buried in France and that he went to visit the grave (he was quite a quirky GP). I hope you get some relief for your operation.

My brother had the op on his right hand 2 years ago, but the doctor at the time warned him the revision might not be permanent. Sadly, the two fingers are beginning to contract in again. He is a musician and this is very disabling for him

Perhaps my Neanderthal ancestors mated with outsiders!

Well, so far no sign of it 🤞

They always said it was passed down by Vikings but now some scientists believe it was Neanderthals mating with their cousins. Whoever it was, they owe me!

My sister, a professional musician, has had two operations to correct Dupuytrens, which enabled her to continue working. Not perfect, but worth it for her.
I had gathered that Margaret Thatcher had this too.

Germanshepherdsmum

Apparently the latest thinking is that it was down to interbreeding amongst Neanderthals, but I do have a small amount of Scandinavian DNA. I would rather think of it coming from Vikings than Neanderthals!

We all have some Neanderthal DNA but I understood that Dupuytren's contracture does occur in people with Viking heritage.
A relative has it but it's not from our side of the family.

I have adapted over the years. The only thing it stops me doing is touch typing, which I used to be able to do quickly - I’m now a slow one-finger typist.

Years ago I planned to have radiation treatment as I had Dupuytrans and Lederhosen. Thankfully I postponed it because, thus far it hasn’t progressed at all. There is a very good Facebook page support group for Dupuytrans. I would have gone with having a needle job done first but I don’t think that would help if there is already full contracture. Any trauma makes Dupuytrans worse and there’s nothing more traumatic than an operation so it’s lose lose really. I did get a lot of help from Derby hospital which is actually one of the leading hand specialist units in the world! I saw a programme about hands that said the little finger is actually one of the most important, used fingers which is why contracture makes life very difficult as one would assume the index finger is the most important. I’m very careful with my hands these days as the first nodules were a result of using a metal screwdriver and putting pressure on my palms. I’m wondering if, drastic as it may be, actual removal of the little finger would be easier than operating on the whole hand and possibly damaging the complicated nerves in the hand and wrist. Bill Nighy may be the most famous Dupuytrans sufferer but I bet he doesn’t have to cook meals or drive cars! If it does look as though there might be contracture in the other hand I would consider radiation treatment, but it’s not cheap.

My DH's two fingers curl under due to a stroke , he has BOTOX injections on the NHS into his hand and this helps to straighten them , but it only last about 3 months then we need to go back. So if an operation last 5 years that would be better.

Apparently the latest thinking is that it was down to interbreeding amongst Neanderthals, but I do have a small amount of Scandinavian DNA. I would rather think of it coming from Vikings than Neanderthals!

Bella23

My DH and friend has had it. They say there is a link with Vikings and Neaderthals. My friend had the quick operations where they cut across your palm and it is returning after about three years. DH had to go to a specialised unit and they did a more invasive operation, which seems to have been very successful. He did come home with his arm in a sling and had to be driven around for a while but he did not keep the sling on for a while. We got a waterproof mitten off Amazon so he could shower.
He is left handed and it was his left two fingers badly bent and another on the way.He found shaving difficult.
At the moment he is very pleased with the results and is glad he went for the longer opperation.

Thank you for the fact about the link with Vikings. My surgeon mentioned it to me. It had slipped my mind but often remind my DH of this from time to time.

I also had it mildly on both hands. Then I broke my wrist and the little finger on that hand started to turn inwards and the knuckle is hard and fixed with no "give" in it. I am due to see a surgeon shortly to see what, if anything, can be done. However someone I know had the operation and advised me against it because it was so painful afterwards. To be honest I don't think I can face more physio and exercises so may just put up with it but it does hamper me. I drop things and can't grip properly. Good luck.

My DH and friend has had it. They say there is a link with Vikings and Neaderthals. My friend had the quick operations where they cut across your palm and it is returning after about three years. DH had to go to a specialised unit and they did a more invasive operation, which seems to have been very successful. He did come home with his arm in a sling and had to be driven around for a while but he did not keep the sling on for a while. We got a waterproof mitten off Amazon so he could shower.
He is left handed and it was his left two fingers badly bent and another on the way.He found shaving difficult.
At the moment he is very pleased with the results and is glad he went for the longer opperation.

I have it in my right hand but I won’t be having surgery. I have had surgery on both hands and wrists for other conditioners. There was minimal success so not worth the added pain I will leave well alone.